Box Checking - L. Plautius Plancus Denarius

This one arrived today and checks off a major box for me. It's a fascinating RR type I've been wanting a decent example of, and one with a well-centered reverse and otherwise wholesome attributes was not the easiest to find. I'm pretty pleased with this one .


IMPERATORIAL ROME
AR Denarius. 4.03g, 18mm. Rome mint, 47 BC, L. Plautius Plancus, moneyer. Crawford 453/1c; CRI 29a; Sydenham 959b. O: L.PLAVTIVS, facing mask of Medusa with disheveled hair. R: Aurora flying right, holding a palm branch and conducting the four horses of the Sun; PLANCVS below.

NOTES: Rather than try to rephrase what has already been said well elsewhere, I'll just take the lazy way out by cutting and pasting below. I hope the authors don't mind.

From CNG auction notes:
"Lucius Plautius Plancus was the brother of Lucius Munatius Plancus, although adopted into the Plautia family. This was a common occurrence when a noble Roman family was lacking suitable male heirs. The reverse type, remarkably, can be tied to a specific ancient work of art, a painting by the 4th century BC artist Nikomachos of Thebes, apparently in the possession of the Munatii and possibly the personal property of Plautius Plancus. Plautius Plancus was proscribed and executed in 43 BC, and it is recorded that Munatius dedicated the painting to the Capitol at his Gallic Triumph of the same year. This leaves open the question of the nature of the relationship between the two brothers. Did Munatius inherit the property of his disgraced brother and make the dedication in expiation, or did he have a hand in his death and seizure of his property? Munatius Plancus was later consul in 42 BC according to the arrangement made by Caesar and then followed Antony to Asia, but deserted him in 32 shortly before the outbreak of civil war with Octavian. Plancus resided in Rome for the rest of his life, and it was on his proposal that Octavian received the title Augustus in 27 BC."

From an illuminating page written by @dougsmit on The Vocabulary of Classical Numismatics:
"Traditional scholarship links this face to masks of Medusa worn by performers on stage. As the story goes, in 312 BC, the famous ancestor (Gaius Plautius) was responsible for returning Rome's troop of professional entertainers to the city after they had been driven off by his fellow Censor. This was accomplished by bringing the players into town wearing masks so they would not be recognized. The people, happy with the return of their entertainment (remember there was no TV, movies or internet), heaped raise on the man responsible for the restoration. Since the return was at dawn, traditional scholarship identified the reverse figure with Aurora leading the four horses of the sun. Another view recognises that yet another ancestor, Lucius Munatius Plancus, had dedicated a popular painting in the Capitol by the 4th century BC artist Nichomachus. This is identified as Victory leading a quadriga (chariot with 4 horses). Which is the true story? I accept the Medusa as related to the traditional story but prefer the painting explanation for two reasons. The name of the moneyer is split on the two sides of the coin. Plautius, which he shares with the hero who returned the players, appears with Medusa. Plancus, shared with the painting provider, is on the reverse with the scene from the painting. Secondly, it is not uncommon for a moneyer with more than one famous ancestor to split the honors on the two sides of a coin. In this case, our moneyer would enjoy greater personal honor by pointing out both of the famous men in his lineage."

 

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Its a popular type, would love to own one, especially this nice. Congrats

 

Stunning reverse Z.

 

WOW!!! That's an incredible coin and one I would LOVE to own!!!

I have nothing comparable

 

My example, ex Bement, 1924:

 

Well, that flan is just embarrassingly oversized, isn't it? Nice one with the snakes in the hair .

 

I am honored to be quoted along with CNG even if took second billing (sniff, sniff). This is a very, very nice example of a type that does not always appear nearly this appealing. There are good dies and bad dies. There are well struck coins and poorly struck ones. There are well preserved ones and junkers. Z's new coin ranks between above average and exceptional in all respects. Most noteworthy are the four (count them!) horse heads with excellent detail. My coin shows a lot of flat struck areas ruining the horses (don't count mine). You will look a while to find a perfect one of these. Plan to pay extra when you do.


As mentioned, there is a variation of this type with coiled snakes flanking Medusa' face as shown on Volodya's excellent coin. They are no easier to find in good shape or even with both snakes clear. Mine is what it is. Yes, you do need two of these. I want to upgrade both of mine but this is a popular coin so it won't be cheap.


Congratulations on the great NP! Also thanks for quoting my text which pointed out to me the typo in it that I have now corrected online. Few people bother to point out typos. I wonder how many just think I'm illiterate?

 

The way I was looking at it, I had CNG come on first as the supporting act .

Your 'two-sided' explanation makes perfect sense to me, and I'm sorry for not quoting the actual point you were illustrating with this example (everyone will just have to read the page for it!).

As for the typo, I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it. I guess my brain, like my phone and PC, has become overzealous with the autocorrects...

 

Really nice looking denarius, lots of details on the reverse. I don't think I've seen that type of reverse yet.

 

Gorgeous Denarius! Love that one.

 

I'm jealous!

 

Wonderful coin, @zumbly! More detailed than mine, which has the coiled snakes on the obverse.

 

That's a very sweet OP-Aurora ... congrats Z-Bro, I love that coin type

... luckily, I always get to see Aurora (it is one of the few pluses about living up here)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora

... very cool, Z

 

RR Rocks

 

great coin on both sides!

 

Gee Z ! that's for sure a fantastic imperatorial coin. Would fit very well in my trays.

A big CONGRATS on that one

Q

 

Zumbly - a very nice coin. It is one of those issues that you need to accept some sort of defect and with yours it is really quite minor flatness is select areas. Overall, it is very balanced with tons of detail and well centered = good eye appeal!

Here's mine. It's black with old collection toning in hand so hard to photograph.

 

Thanks for the kind comments, everyone. I had thought this little quest over, but seeing as Doug says that I need another one of these, it continues!

Now that's just ridiculous . One of the very few I've seen where the obverse is fully as compelling as the reverse. I imagine that's how exactly how Plancus visualised all his little masterpieces would roll out of the mint. I wonder how cheesed he was when he saw how the majority turned out.

 

You win... that's surely better than coins .

 

They are popular with good reason-- chock full of artistic imagery! Congrats on the great pickup, Z

Shown many times before, here's mine-- with the obverse purposefully lit from the below to make her look even more Halloweeny While it does have some wear and a couple of banker's marks, the centering is very good and I feel fortunate to have it!


Roman Imperatorial, moneyer L. Plautius Plancus
47 BCE
AR Denarius, 3.79 gm
Obv: L. PLAVTIVS; facing mask of Medusa, serpents at either side of face; banker's mark on cheek
Rev: PLANCVS; Aurora flying right and conducting the four horses of the sun. Banker's mark in left field.
Ref: Plautia 15b Sear 429, Cr453/1b; Syd 959a.
formerly slabbed by NGC